Even as Barry was meandering across the Gulf Saturday morning, several trucks, trailers, and boats quietly pulled into the empty parking lot of the Lowes store on Highway 14.

The impressive array of gear was there as a staging area for rescue operations as Tropical Storm Barry, which hit the Louisiana coast as Category 1 Hurricane Barry, swung over the Teche Area this weekend. But as of Saturday afternoon, it was still quiet.

“Most of our work comes behind the storm,” said Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Robert Moore, who was supervising the operation.

The spot was chosen because of its easy access to both U.S. Highway 90 and Louisiana 14, but also because of its relatively high elevation.

The operation boasted members of the IPSO, Iberia Parish Fire District No. 1, the Cajun Navy and the Louisiana National Guard. Everything from small flat-bottom boats to airboats and even armored vehicles were waiting for the call to lend aid if and when the storm’s deluge began.

Other volunteers and individuals on hand also pledged their support of the effort. Iberia Parish District 1 Councilman Tommy Pollard, for example, is a school bus driver. He was on call to assist in moving people from rising waters to the reception station established in New Iberia’s City Park if the need arose.

Even before the first rescue call came, though, Pollard had to check on one of the four buses he had made available for the effort.

“I just got a call that a tree fell on one of my buses,” Pollard said. “I’m on my way now to see how bad it is. Hopefully we can get the tree off and still use the bus.”

It’s not Pollard’s first rodeo. During the August 2016 flood, Pollard volunteered to help move people who were stranded in the floodwaters, rescuing them and bringing them to safety.

“I was just doing it to help, as a volunteer,” Pollard said. “We moved more than 200 people during that event.”

Even as the rain and wind picked up Saturday afternoon, he was still optimistic.

“We haven’t had any calls yet,” Pollard said. “We’re still on standby.”

The school buses can move more people, but the most impressive vehicle in the rescue collection was the MRAP, a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle designed as a light tactical vehicle for the U.S. military but put into use as a SWAT team vehicle for the IPSO. In this instance, the armor comes in handy, but what is more valuable is the vehicle’s high clearance.

“We’re prepared for the worst,” Moore said, “but we are hoping for the best.”